Regional anesthesia
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Regional anesthesia · Sep 1997
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialCombined general and epidural anesthesia versus general anesthesia for major abdominal surgery: postanesthesia recovery characteristics.
Outcome studies comparing general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia (GEN-EPI) to general anesthesia (GEN) for major abdominal surgery have been equivocal. However, many believe that patients anesthetized with GEN-EPI fair better than GEN. This study tests the hypothesis that there are favorable recovery characteristics associated with GEN-EPI as compared with GEN following abdominal surgery. ⋯ Transient quantifiable differences in recovery characteristics exist between patients receiving GEN-EPI and GEN.
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Regional anesthesia · Sep 1997
Clinical TrialLidocaine does not depress reflex dilation of the pupil.
Pupillary dilation in response to dermatomal electrical stimulation is one method of determining sensory block level during combined epidural and general anesthesia. Use of this technique may, however, be confounded by systemic absorption of epidurally administered local anesthetics. Accordingly, the effects of intravenous lidocaine on the magnitude and duration of reflex pupillary dilation were evaluated. ⋯ Typical plasma lidocaine concentrations observed during epidural anesthesia are unlikely to prevent the use of pupillary responses to evaluate sensory block level.
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Regional anesthesia · Sep 1997
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialDoes metoclopramide supplement postoperative analgesia using patient-controlled analgesia with morphine in patients undergoing elective cesarean delivery?
Recent studies have shown that metoclopramide may decrease postoperative narcotic requirements in patients undergoing second-trimester induced abortions or prosthetic hip surgery. It is often used to decrease the incidence of nausea and vomiting in the patient undergoing cesarean delivery under regional anesthesia. If metoclopramide were found to be an analgesic adjunct in these patients, it would offer an additional impetus for its routine use. ⋯ This study demonstrates that metoclopramide decreases intraoperative nausea but does not supplement analgesia in patients undergoing elective cesarean delivery.
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For the past 16 years the combined spinal-epidural (CSE) technique has been extensively researched and developed to the point where it is now in widespread use. Along with the use of low-dose mixtures of local anesthetics and opioids, and the introduction of fine-gauge pencil-point needles, CSE is being increasingly recognized as another important addition to the armamentarium of the anesthesiologist. ⋯ The CSE technique offers many potential advantages over continuous epidural or subarachnoid methods alone, including a reduction in drug dosage, the ability to eliminate motor blockade and to achieve highly selective sensory blockade and optimize analgesia. These features hold great promise for minimizing the hazards and side effects of traditional epidural and subarachnoid techniques. Controversial fears, risks, and pitfalls of the CSE technique and of continuous epidural and subarachnoid methods are debated and discussed.
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Regional anesthesia · Sep 1997
Clinical TrialExperience with gabapentin for neuropathic pain in the head and neck: report of ten cases.
Gabapentin is an oral antiepileptic agent with an unknown mechanism of action. Recent case reports have suggested that gabapentin may be effective in the treatment of a variety of neuropathic pain states. This report presents baseline and follow-up data on ten patients who were treated with gabapentin when other pharmacologic interventions failed to relieve their neuropathic pain. ⋯ The results suggest that gabapentin may be effective in the management of some cases of neuropathic pain in the head and neck. However, controlled, double-blind longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate this possibility.